PARLIAMENT URGED TO LET THE PUBLIC DECIDE ON SCOTLAND'S FUTURE.

PARLIAMENT URGED TO LET THE PUBLIC DECIDE ON SCOTLAND'S FUTURE.

The SNP has today called on opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament to support a referendum on Scotland’s future.

Despite Opinion polls consistently showing the Scottish public want a referendum on independence opposition parties are preparing to deny voters that opportunity.

SNP MSP Dr Alasdair Allan called suggestions in today's press that the opposition would deny the public their chance of a say over Scotland’s future an affront to democracy and urged opposition leaders to allow the Parliamentary process to take place in full. Dr Allan, MSP for the Western Isles said;

“All MSPs know that Scots want a referendum on Scotland's constitutional future. “It is for Scotland’s people to decide our constitutional future and it would be ridiculous for opposition MSPs to deny them that opportunity. “The SNP was elected on a commitment to introduce a referendum bill and that is what we will do. For any MSP to argue otherwise is utterly perverse.

“A majority of Scots consistently support a referendum as the best way to decide Scotland's future and the SNP is happy for that referendum to consider the proposals of the Calman Commission – if the other parties can ever agree on them.

“There are people in all opposition parties who believe a referendum is the right way to address Scotland’s constitutional future. The Labour group has previously said it will not block a referendum bill in this Parliament, Lib Dem MSPs have supported a referendum and senior Tories are calling for a referendum to go ahead.

“To block such a bill would damage democracy." More info,
1. A BBC Scotland / ICM Poll in June 2009 (22-24) showed 58% of people in favour of a referendum on independence, with 37% against and 5% undecided.

2. TAVISH SCOTT ON A MULTI OPTION REFERENDUM “We will see what legislation the SNP comes forward with. I am not intuitively against making sure that people have a choice and opportunity to vote on these things, but I believe it should be for a strengthened Scotland within the UK.” Times, 26 August 2008

3. DUNCAN McNEIL MSP, CONVENER OF LABOUR’S HOLYROOD GROUP, ON INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM “we are now in a position where, as a group, we will not vote down any Referendum Bill that comes into the Parliament.”

4 . Dennis Canavan’s submission to the Calman Commission is reported to state; "If the final report of your commission is going to have any credibility across the political spectrum in Scotland, then it must accept the right of the people of Scotland to determine their own destiny. "A significant number of the people of Scotland want independence and the most democratic way to measure that number would be to have a referendum including the option of independence. "Failure to recommend such a referendum would reinforce the allegations that your commission is simply a unionist ploy to undermine the Scottish Government."

5.Tories call for referendum http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6806563.ece + Daily Mail, Tuesday 25th August "Secret Tory Plan to Call SNP's Bluff"